Build me a house, I'll build you a home
by jetholiday16
Summary: Hikari and Luke have a colorfull meeting. It involves her being knocked to the ground, and him yelling in her face The reason why? Hikari has moved into the home of his childhood traumatization. He tries to make her leave, things follow... Read on!
1. Chapter 1

Hikari Makuda sat up from bed and yawned. She sleepily glanced over at her alarm clock and her eyes widened. She threw off her covers and stumbled through her small house, stubbing her toe on the leg of the table, yelping loudly as she fought to get her yellow blouse over her white shirt. Hastily zipping her work skirt and adjusting the shorts beneath she made a mental count of her luggage beside the door. She hastily tied her work boots and eyed the clock again. She had twenty two minutes to make it to the boating docks and onto the ship that would take her to her new home Castanet, or her ranch so to be specific.

Hikari glared at the sky and folded her arms over her chest and sighed. With her luck, she made it with ten minutes before the boat allowed boarding, but of course as she was just about to celebrate her good fortune, thunder boomed and rain began to down pour on the new adult. She grabbed her bag of luggage and inched as far as she could beneath the slight overhead canopy just above the ticket station where she both purchased her ticket and stumbled upon the brochure for cheap farmland being sold on Castanet island. Hikari looking to leave her small home in the city for a more prosperous life in the country leaped at the cheap but lucky opportunity and made the expensive long distance phone call, purchasing a farm plot, the home, a chicken coop and a barn all over the telephone. The next step was getting there…

"Ai-yah, timber! You see here Bo? That's how you chop a tree like a pro"! The arrogant young man said while resting the handle of his axe on his shoulder and grinning wildly. To Luke there was nothing more beautiful than the sound of the final swing of an axe and a tree falling to the forest floor. He lived for that sound, his pop a carpenter always appreciated the extra lumber around, but with his age and increasing lack of mobility, Luke was usually the one to haul everything to the shop and with his step brother and fellow apprentice Bo, the work wasn't as difficult. He only struggled with measurements and sticking to the blueprints on what the customer had ordered.

"Luke my boy, I need you to go to the Fugue forest and get me some more wood, Bo, I need you to pick up my orders from Barbara's next door. Dale said while sitting in his favorite rocking chair. Luke watched as the old Pyrenees dog from his childhood, Boss got up and lay at his master's feet. Luke nodded and gathered his axe and pack lunch, knowing it would help regain some of his strength after taking out several trees.

"Were on it Pops, I should be home by dinner, if not a little later, I'll see you then". The young boy waved to his aging father and walked out the door. He yawned, knowing the journey to the forest and back would be more exhausting then the work itself. But who was he to complain? It only proved him stronger, and strength was extreme! Luke darted in a sprint across the rickety bridge above the water fall and disappeared from sight around the mountain corner.

"I'm glad we got the boys out of here, I didn't want them to see how sick I'm getting"… The old man said while stroking the head of his beloved dog, in turn Boss licked his head affectionately. Dale coughed rather violently into a white handkerchief. What was so surprising about the severity of his sickness was how young he was. Dale was only fifty two, but the hard labor, grief of losing two of his wives and raising two boys while running a down spiraled business put more strain on his body then it could handle.

"Darn it, Boss! There goes another one"… Dale tossed the handkerchief into the waste basket and sighed.

"I'm going to have to start using sandpaper, I'm running through those things so fast"… He said while eyeing the cloth in the bin. He knew he'd have to discard it before the boys got home, or some slim chance a customer walked in. Dale with a grunt sat himself up from the wooden rocking chair, his favorite chair that belonged to his first wife Eden and picked the hankie from the trash. He carried outside and dropped it into the actual waste can. The hankie was useless now, that it was stained with blood…

Luke was bursting with energy as he ran, the spring sun shown down on his face, and he felt, well nothing shy of extreme. Then he rounded the bend and then a chill ran down his spine. He was passing the shack… His sprint slowed to a trudge, how could it not? This rundown farm house was were his own mother died helping Dale finish it. Every time he passed his blood ran cold, and his smile always turned into a frown, a foreign feature that was not meant to be worn on Luke's face, it even hurt physically from lack of frowning, his muscles were tight to shift in any other position then a wide grin… It had been an abandoned project since his mother died. It was livable, but ratty… With holes in the ceiling, weak floorboards, the chicken coop and barn were sorry excuses for living just as the house was. Luke had many times come up with in his mind, blueprints on how to finish it, yet he could never get his feet to stray off the dirt path and onto the property. He had almost done it once, he managed it down to the shack with tools and supplies for building, and made it two steps off of the road, but when he tried to move forward his heart felt like it was being squeezed mercilessly, and his breath felt constricted. What was even worse was that the house was built in a spot were Luke's family always had to pass it when going into town or the forest or anywhere. The sentimental pain they felt even as rounding the curb was enough to make them head back to the shop. But how were they to access the goods they needed? The dirt path past the shack was the only way, after all the mine cart had stopped working ages ago. Now as Luke drug his feet past the shack, his mouth dropped and his brain felt like it was being beaten with a hammer. A girl about his age stood in front of the shack, one hand on her hip, the other un-locking the door, and she appeared to be speaking to thin air. Before Luke realized what he was doing, he had flown off the dirt path and knocked the young girl to the ground, the key flew from her hand and her mouth making an o shape.

Luke had to notice as he pinned her to the ground, she was really cute, even pretty. She had voluptuous brown eyes that were now blinking rapidly in shock and short but partially curly brown hair that was strewn across the ground, and in her face. She sputtered, clearing her mouth of hair, and instantly sat up, knocking Luke off of her.

"Are you crazy? You almost killed me"! She glanced wide eyed around and looked at her gloved hand. A panicked sound escaped her mouth and she began to look frantically on the ground.

"Where is it? Oh God I don't even own the house yet, much less have gone inside and now I've lost the key"! Her voice was girly, but had a rough edge to it. Luke wondered how it would sound in a soothing tone, instead of this screechy panicked sound. Suddenly the brown haired girl whipped around and pointed at him.

"You, you're the one who got me into this mess! You find my house key"! She then appeared to be glaring at thin air, and muttered something under her breath. Luke for some reason obediently began crawling around on the grass, till he saw a glint of silver. He plucked it up and held out his hands, smiling like he was pleased with himself. The girl, know that he had a better look of her, really was cute. She snatched her house key from the palm of his hands, dusted herself off, unlocked the door, went inside and slammed it. Only then did Luke realize he had been on the property for about five minutes and took off to the safety of the dirt path as fast as he would if his flaming head band really had been on fire… What he didn't see was the brunette girl peering from her curtains and notably speaking to the air again on what a strange boy they had encountered. Hikari then made her way to the front door, checking the locks. She turned to the floating orange pixie beside her and shrugged.

"Better safe, then sorry, hey Finn"? The pixie nodded in agreement and watched as the young girl looked longingly at the bed, back at Finn who nodded encouragingly, and then fell on top of the covers in soiled clothes, and fell into a heavy sleep only she could muster.


	2. Chapter 2

Once again the sound of wood being split echoed through the forest was the only sound Luke heard. The sensation of his blood boiling ran through his veins. How could the mayor let someone move into the shack? Hamilton knew about the pain the shack brought on Luke's family, and sure enough with it falling to pieces like it was no doubt they'd end up having to work on it! After a few more trees were chopped the young man settled against the dirt floor of the forest, leaning back against a pine tree he began to eat lunch.

Biting into a rice ball rather ferociously Luke closed his eyes. He remembered his mother… His first mother, his real mother's name was Eden. Eden had shoulder length blue hair, much like his own and his fathers, and narrow cat like shaped golden eyes. Eden was one of the most skilled carpenters Castanet had ever seen. She was the one who inspired Luke's flamed bandanna style, after all she would tuck back her own hair using one while on the job. Luke also inherited his energy and happy go lucky optimistic outlook on life. He specifically remembered one conversation between mother and son that had been murkily drifting in and out of memory since he encountered the shack's new inhabitant…

"_Now, Luke listens to your mother real close"… Eden said one day while polishing a wooden table she was crafting. A ten year old Luke watched her from a nearby stool, nodding to signal he was paying attention. His long blue hair was about mid arm length, and his fire bandanna was half falling off his head from lack of the ability to tie a knot right, but his golden eyes were bright and alert. _

"_One day you're going to meet a girl, not just any girl, but a special girl"… She said that, knowing her son was about to mention that he had met a ton of girls already. _

"_You probably won't meet her for a while, considering you're still so young, but when you do you'll know. Just like I knew when I met your father. If I'm not around then, but I hope I am, I want you to know that as long as you're happy that you have my blessing". Eden looked at her son hopefully, and in turn he gave her a big toothy smile. She knew one day her son was going to be extremely handsome and that he would catch the eye of many a girl… She just hoped it would be the right one. _

"_You want to know when she's a real keeper, son"? Dale her husband said while walking in, stroking his mustache and smiling. _

"_How's that, pops"? _

"_She'll bring you the blue feather, the same day you bring hers. Just like I and your mother did"… Eden smiled and a faint but fair shade of pink blossomed on her cheeks. _

"_That was the best and awkward day of my life". Eden said while wiping her hands on a cloth, finishing her work on the table. Dale smiled cheekily and pecked her right on the lips. _

"_Ew, my eyes"! Luke said while picking up his axe and dashing out the door. The happily married couple parted and Dale took his beloved wife into his arms. _

"_You know honey, one day he's going to have a son that says the same thing"… Eden said, and her husband's gruff laughter rang out beside her as they watched from the shop window as their son was already headed off to continue the family business… _

"That was when people still came to the shop"… Luke said allowed, to no one in particular. He sighed, gathered himself and stood up. He licked the leftovers of his lunch from his fingers and shouldered his axe.

"Now that my stamina's back to normal, it's time to go back to work"… He walked over to a nearby tree, and examined the wood. Rotten wood made rotten planks to build with. Lately he'd been discovering a lot of rotted trees, and that meant his family had even littler to work with…

"Finn, I honestly don't know how Dale expects us to find his son in this forest! I'm just glad I took a nap before we went to the carpenters, or I'd be exhausted"! A female voice said which struck Luke odd. Not many girls in either Harmonica town, or flute fields ventured into Fugue forest. He wasn't being sexist, it was just… Extremely uncommon…

The footsteps sounded as if they were approaching, and Luke's palms were sweating so much his grip on the axe handle was slipping.

"Honestly Finn, if we get lost in here I so bla-"… The girl's sentence was stopped short as she entered the clearing and saw Luke. Who in turn, then finally dropped his axe. The clang of noise echoed through the forest as the two stared at each other.

"You're the guy from this morning that almost lost my house key! Your Dale's son"? Her voice sounded a bit high strung.

"Yeah, you said Pops sent you looking for me? Well then it's even later then I thought… Well then I guess I should be going"… Luke picked up his axe and began to exit the clearing.

"Wait"! Luke turned to her, her brown eyes shifted back and forth nervously.

"You seem to know this forest pretty well; do you think that you could help me out"? Her voice sounded much prettier in a softer tone.

"Where's the Finn guy you were speaking to"? Luke didn't mean for that to come out as harsh as it did, and the girl looked generally… kind of hurt.

"Sorry, that was really rude of me to say. To make it up to you, yeah I'll walk you home". Luke said apologetically, summing it up with a wide grin.

"Oh my gosh, thank you"! She ran over to him, and Luke noticed she was so close their forearms were touching.

"I didn't catch your name earlier when I knocked you down". Luke said as he began to show her the way out of the forest and attempting to make conversation.

"Oh yeah, that's right! My names Hikari Makuda and you are"?

"I'm Lucas Anthony Castellano, but everyone calls me Luke". He didn't know why he felt compelled to tell her his full name, but he let it slide.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Luke. I didn't mean to shout, and you scared me. Where I'm from if someone charged at me like that, I would've been a goner"! She chuckled quietly; Luke didn't find it funny that he'd scared her like he did.

"I'm sorry about earlier to, it's just I didn't expect anyone to move into that house"…

"Yeah, it's a bit disappointing from the brochure, but I'm sure that with a little tender love and care it'll be a beautiful ranch home I can raise a family in"! Luke noticed how she fist pumped at the end of that and he smiled a teensy bit. She seemed like she could be extreme…

"Oh my gosh"! She said again for the second time that night, her big brown eyes were turned to his, and her hands covered her mouth.

"What is it? Are you hurt"? Luke suddenly remembered that if there was a threat, he did have an axe with him.

"That bandage on your nose! Is it from earlier? Did I hurt you by some chance"? Her eyes looked genuinely worried and she seemed to care about his sake. Luke laughed, and her face melted from horror to mildly peeved.

"No, no Hikari! This is a signature fashion statement; I wear a bandage on my nose because it looks cool and makes me look tough, it's like my fire bandanna"! He said while shrugging. Hikari smiled in relief.

"Good, I'm glad you're not hurt… I also have a fire bandanna, but it probably got lost in the move. Oh well, there's a tailoring shop here, maybe I'll get a new one"… Luke didn't know how to respond. A cute girl like this, shared common fashion interest with him? Luke decided that even though it meant he would have to step on the same land as the shack, he would walk Hikari Makuda the entire way home. She seemed to be just fine with that.

During the walk from Fugue forest, through flute fields and almost to the ranching center of the island Luke discovered that Hikari loved bananas, was allergic to radish, and that she moved here hoping for a better life then in the city, due to recent price inflammations in everyday goods. In turn Hikari learned that Luke also loved bananas, he hated pickled relish, and that he had two mothers, both deceased. The two seemed to instantly click as good friends. When the shack's porch light's loomed in sight Luke swallowed the emotions that were climbing up his throat and was determined to walk her to the door.

"Thanks for walking me home, Luke"… Hikari said while fumbling with her house key.

"Anytime, don't worry there are plenty of people who are scared of the dark". He said, during the walk Hikari also mentioned her extreme phobia of darkness.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to walk me home, and you didn't make fun of me for it"…

"My house is right past the curve and over the bridge, I would've had to pass it anyways, and besides I'm a gentleman"! Luke bowed overdramatically and Hikari giggled a girly giggle but it made Luke smile. He stood up right and Hikari unlocked her door, she turned fully to him and leaned forward, lightly pecking him on the cheek.

"Thanks again, Lucas Anthony Castellano"! She said, and then headed indoors.

"Wait a second Hikari"! Luke said, she opened the door and looked at him.

"Who's Finn"? He asked, suddenly nervous. Hikari laughed.

"Finn's a flying harvest sprite that only I can see and hear that started following me around earlier". She then laughed at Luke's bewildered expression.

"Trust me; I wouldn't believe me either, but goodnight and thanks again, Luke". She shut and the door and Luke stood staring at it with a dumbfounded expression. He then came up with two conclusions. Either Hikari Makuda was insane and was imagining fairies floating around and talking to her, or Hikari Makuda actually had a harvest sprite following her around that only she could see and hear. For now, Luke chose as his best bet, options number two…

Speed walking down the dirt path Luke's cheek still felt warm. He touched it with his calloused fingers and sighed.

"It must be a city person thing, to kiss the cheek of someone who had done a favor to you"… He said aloud, again to particularly no one. After crossing the rickety old bridge, he saw that his dad had indeed left the porch light on for him, and he fumbled for his house key pressed against his leg by his sock and unlocked the door. His supper sat on the table, cold by now, but still edible. Luke's stomach growled nosily, and he remembered how hungry he was. After locking up shop, he sat at the wooden table and wolfed down the cold stew and bread slice. After quietly cleaning both himself up and the dishes in the sink, he slipped off his work boots and went into the bedroom he shared with his Pop and Bo. Climbing into the clean but forest scented sheets and abandoning both socks and vest on the ground bedside, Luke untied his bandanna, resting it on the headboard above him, and stared out the window. Barely beyond the curve of the dirt road and trees he could see the faint light of Hikari's house, the shack. Realizing that he couldn't call it that around her he sighed. He was tired, but anxious at the same time. He once again touched his cheek; it still felt warm to him. His dad coughed in his sleep and Bo shifted in his bed loudly. It jerked Luke away from his puzzled thoughts, and into the nighttime noises of his family that lulled him to sleep every night. Kicking one leg out from the covers and turning on his right side, Luke shut his eyes and drifted into a warm, full stomached, much needed and anticipated sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Hikari slid into the water of the hot springs just beyond her fields. Finn submerged with her and they sighed. After a long morning of harvesting, watering and planting crops, Hikari needed a bit of a break before returning to work. She had received a phone call from Cain at Horn Ranch. He politely offered that if she wanted to stop by the farm that morning and have her choice to pick from three newborn calves for no charge at all, he'd be just fine with that. Hikari jumped joyously at that offer. She had about a thousand dollars to her name, and in a few weeks time she'd be making much more money…

Stepping from the hot springs Hikari sighed and stretched her sore muscles. After towel drying, she went inside, and dressed. Then packed her farming tools and a lunch, after all it was such a long walk to flute fields… Though sitting indoors and complaining wouldn't get her there any faster… And Fugue forest was right by Horn ranch, perhaps she'd run across Luke…

Locking the door behind her, and blinking to adjust her eyes to the sunlight Hikari smiled. Already this looked like that it be a wonderfully beautiful day. Finn fluttered down to sit on Hikari's shoulder and together they set off. While on the way Hikari gathered six mushrooms, two strawberries and three purple herbs. It would make a nice profit…

Luke walked down the dirt path on his way to the forest. Sadly when he passed Hikari's home, he found nothing more than an empty shack, it was almost as if she'd never been there, except for the fact that the field was overflowing with freshly grown vegetables. He sighed; massively relieved at the fact he hadn't imagined Hikari's presence.

"And this herb, Finn, can greatly diminish paralysis poison. It's important that we carry plenty of these in my pack when we go into the mines, and this herb! Finn this one boosts stamina and beats fatigue, we should definitely carry these into the mines with us as well"! Hikari's voiced paused for a moment.

"Your right Finn, I should always carry these with me, I can get fatigued anywhere, not just the mines. I'm glad the harvest goddess sent you with me when she gave me my mission… Or I else I'd be lost"! Luke followed the sound of Hikari's voice, to find her sifting through bushes, a small pile of herbs sat beside her.

"Good morning, Hikari"! Luke called; Hikari slightly jumped, but then turned in his direction waving brightly.

"Good morning to you as well Luke! Such a beautiful morning it is, isn't it"?

"Yeah it's extreme"!

"Yeah it is… Hey Luke, I have some business to attend to at Horn Ranch, but would you like to come over later? I'll fix you a nice lunch! You can even bring your family if you'd like"… She said while pulling out yet another herb from the bush.

"Yeah sure, if it's alright with you! I'm sure my family would like that". Luke was sure; the Castellano family wasn't invited over for meals very often since Cynthia, Bo's mother died.

"How does two hours sound? Judging by how you have your axe, I'd say you were off to the forest. That will give you time to get your work done AND build up an appetite". Hikari said while gathering up her herbs into the pockets of her skirt

"That sounds perfect; I'll walk you to Horn Ranch since we're going to nearly the same destination". Hikari beamed and stood up. The two chattered while walking side by side, and commenting on how pretty the water beneath the bridge looked in the mid morning sunlight. After making sure Hikari was right as rain at Horn Ranch, Luke waved a temporary goodbye and went to work in the forest.

"Alright, first you chop it up"… Hikari said to herself while standing in her newly appliance kitchen. She was currently using the cutting board to chop up her fresh herbs, which were still wet from washing them in the sink. Finn was currently doing something else, leaving Hikari to her thoughts. The morning had gone quite well, not only had she gotten a free beautiful black calf which she had named Clover, but she was having company over in a short hour! She had decided to whip up the Makuda special, chicken and dumplings, along with a small portion of grilled herb fish, and herbal tea. It was obvious to all the Makuda family enjoyed cooking with herbs. With the tea kettle simmering on the stove and the delicious smells of food being prepared, Hikari felt a comforting sense of hominess and motherhood… She was preparing a meal for a family, not her family but a family… Who knew, maybe she would be cooking for Luke many times in the future… Her cheeks turned pink at the thought and shook the idea away. She then got started on dessert, bread pudding.

Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Hikari set out the table cloth, plates, eating utensils, napkins, glasses and last but not least the food. The dessert sat on the window ledge cooling. Hikari felt delighted with herself, she had made quite a tasty looking lunch for herself, Luke, and his family. She had just enough time to change into a white shirt, with a green tank top and a dark blue skirt. This time she didn't slide work shorts under them. Making a mental note to do laundry later and hang her clothes out on the line after doing so.

Luke nervously knocked on the door. His shirt was nicely tucked in, his vest zipped and his jeans not dirty. The same went for Pops and Bo. They were all nervous about entering the shack… It wasn't a place of happy memories for them… Then the door opened, and Luke was speechless. If he thought Hikari was cute before… She was wearing a jean skirt, and her usual tank top on shirt attire, but the coloring was different. She was dressed nicely, instead of for work.

"Come in, come in! No need to be strangers". Luke followed by Pops and Bo entered the house and were astounded. Last time they had entered, the house had been a wreck. The inside especially, but now… The floors were repaired and the walls weren't cracked.

"Hikari did you fix these yourself"? Dale asked marveled.

"Of course, I'm a single woman living alone. Of course I fixed up a few split boards and cracks in the walls". Dale then noticed her hand had a few bandages on it. He tweaked his mustache as he did when was in thought. A young girl like this… Managed to make the shack, nice and livable?

"You may be surprised, but when I was in school I did quite well in my studies of medicine and carpentry". Hikari said while getting the kettle off the stove. Dale, Luke and Bo took that as an invitation to sit at the table as she filled their cups.

"It's an herbal remedy tea, it's a bit bitter at first, but after a couple of drinks you'll feel much better"! She said while pouring herself a glass. It was true what she said, with every drink that was taken, the drink got sweeter and sweeter. Even the thicknesses in Dale's lungs seem to loosen up a bit, and breathing was much easier. Hikari smiled and looked at everyone.

"What are you guys waiting for? I didn't make all this food for decoration"! The kitchen was soon filled with the sounds of plates being filled, and a delightful lunch being shared.

"Oh Hikari, I can't eat another bite! I've never felt this full"! Luke said while clutching his stomach and smiling sleepily. The four of them had polished off the chicken and dumplings, the herbal tea, the herb fish, and the bread pudding.

"I haven't felt this good in a long time… Thank you Hikari"! Dale said smiling widely; both Luke and Bo were shocked. Dale hadn't smiled like that in a long time…

"Luke, Bo and I are going to head home. Why don't you hang back and help Hikari with cleaning up and afternoon chores".

"That would be lovely! I could use all the help I could get"!

"In that case, I'll help you Hikari! See you later, Bo, Pops"!

"Alright, I'll wash and you dry"! Hikari said while gathering up the dirty dishes in her hands and heading over to the sink.

"So then my brother Takeru lit the ice cream on fire"! Hikari laughed while scrubbing one of the last dishes. Luke's loud laughter almost caused him to drop the plate he was drying.

"You're kidding me! This really happened"? Luke asked, tears were gathering in his eyes.

"I wish I was! But yes, that really happened! My family found out that wedding anaverserrys are terrible times for either of us kids to go to the general store"… Hikari chuckled a last bit and handed the final dish to Luke who dried it and then set it neatly in the cabinet.

"Wow, I'm glad I stayed back. You make washing dishes fun"!

"Don't think were done yet Luke, we still have a few more chores to take care of"…

Outside the two kneeled side by side while scrubbing Hikari's laundry in the hot spring.

"Thank you, Hikari"… Luke said quietly, the tips of his ears began to burn.

"There's no need to thank me, Luke… After all I should be thanking you… I mean you are helping me with chores"… The sun was beginning to set and the sky was a vibrant thrilling orange.

"No, I have to thank you… You made Pops smile, and not just a teensy smile, a big smile… Since mom and Cindy died he hasn't smiled like that since Bo and I were sixteen"…

"Oh, well you're welcome then… But I only fed him lunch"…

"No Hikari Makuda… You did so much more then that"… A silence grew between the two as both their faces turned pink. After the laundry was done and hung on the clothes line, the two checked on Clover who was napping pleasantly, took a walk around the farm, swept and dusted the house and Luke watched Hikari make another kettle of her herbal tea.

"Now Luke, I want you to give this to your father please… It'll help with that nasty cough he's developing. And he should really see a doctor"… Hikari said while pouring the tea into a thermos for Luke to take home.

"I wish he could, but we can't afford it, the shop hasn't sold anything in such a long time"... Luke said sadly.

"Then I'll pay for his doctor's visit".

"No Hikari, you can't do that"…

"Watch me. Your father needs to be seen by a professional, and I'll make sure of it"! She slapped the burner off, grabbed the thermos of hot tea and exited the house.

"Are you coming, Luke? Make sure you shut the door behind you"! And she made a mad dash down the dirt road. She could hear Luke's running footsteps behind her. She only had so much time to get to the shop… Rounding the curve and running across the rickety bridge the shop came within sight. Dinging the bell as she entered, and sweat dripping down her face Hikari Makuda in all her pride and glory set the thermos down on the counter.

"Drink that during dinner, and I'd like to place a massive order please".


	4. Chapter 4

Hikari and Luke had been spending a great deal of time together. In the month that she had been there, Dale's health condition had improved immensely, and so had the shops business. More people came by since Hikari started advertising on how outstanding their products were to the entire island. The two had become best friends, spending every waking moment together, working, cooking, eating, or sitting out on a hill in the summer afternoon, like they were now.

Hikari rested her back against a tree in Flute fields and Luke had his head in her lap while staring up at Hikari dreamily. She was playing with his blue hair absent mindedly while chattering.

"Hey, Hikari, can I ask you something"? Luke asked from nowhere.

"Yeah, sure what is it"?

"If you were to have kids… What would you name them"?

"Hmmm I never thought it about it, why do you ask Luke"?

"No reason, I was really only just curious".

"Well now that I think about it I guess that I would name my daughter Lunar and my son Zero"…

"Huh, I've never heard those names before, but I like them".

"What about you Luke? What would you name your kids"?

"I don't know, I'd probably let my wife name them, or they'd grow up being taunted on their names being axe or timber". Hikari's response was a soft chuckle.

"Is that so? Well Luke, who are you aiming to marry? Kathy, Luna, Candace, Maya, Phoebe, Anissa, Renee, or even Selena"? Luke sat up from his close friends lap and stared at Hikari, whose cheeks warmed slightly at his intense gaze.

"None of those girls interest me Hikari"…. A silence settled in between the two. Luke slowly extended his arm, aching to caress her face. Was it so wrong to be in love with his best friend? Not only had she brought back life to the island and its members, but she had also begun to patch up the empty hole in his chest that his mom left.

"Excuse me, but here's your special lunch that you ordered and requested delivery for". A snobby sounding voice said. Hikari was broken from Luke's stare glanced up and blinked from the sun streaming in her eyes. An orange haired boy dressed in purple and black holding a wicker picnic basket glared down on the two.

Hikari stood up, taking the basket from the delivery boy and fished in her back pockets. He had a real sour look on his face as she placed the correct sum in the palm of his hands. Rolling his eyes and muttering beneath his breath the soured face boy walked away. Hikari shrugging it off opened the basket and smiled.

"Excellent, just what I ordered! I'd expect nothing less from Yolanda". She said while taking out a heaping plate of Seafood curry, followed by a Coconut Cocktail, and two slices of Spinach Cake.

"WOW! Hikari these are all my favorite foods"! Luke said while clapping and smiling big.

"I know, Luke I cook for you all the time, you call in advance with requests". Luke beamed and took a fork that Hikari was holding out for him. She turned back to the wicker basket, further searching the deeper parts of its contents, when suddenly she yelped.

"Ouch, oh that hurt"! She removed her hand from the basket and shook it repeatedly.

"Hikari, what happened"? Luke asked in a frantic worried tone.

"I cut my finger on the basket by accident". Luke watched red blood bead of from the cut rather quickly. Hikari bit her lip.

"I bet that hurts, doesn't it"? He asked, Hikari nodded, continuing to chew her lip.

"Here, give me your finger". Hikari did so, and Luke stuck her finger in his mouth. Hikari's cheeks darkened as Luke's tongue slid over her wound. He then removed it from his mouth and pulled a bandage from his pocket, wrapping it slowly around her fingertip.

"There you go! You're all patched up and good to go"! Luke said cheerfully and he began shoveling in his portion of the Seafood curry. Hikari stared down at her finger her face still warm. She remembered she was supposed to be eating and began to fork her lunch into her mouth.

"Hey Hikari, I wouldn't worry about Chase okay? He can be rude and sarcastic, but he's really a nice guy. Way down deep"…. Luke said downing the last of his coconut cocktail and wiping his mouth. Hikari nodded and thought to herself

'Chase, so that was his name… Well I'm going to have to have a word with him on his poor attitude'.

Hikari and Luke spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around and finishing their lunch. Hikari continued to feel even more conflicted as the sun began to set and the two packed up the dishes into the picnic basket.

"What's wrong Hikari? You've been quiet all afternoon. Did I do something to upset you? Are you feeling alright"? Luke pressed the back of his hand to Hikari's forehead and waited a moment.

"Hmm… You do feel warm. Here, climb on back and I'll carry you home"…

"Luke, you don't have to do that, besides I'm too heavy".

"Hikari, please spare me the argument, and besides I spend all down chopping trees with a thirty pound axe, I'm pretty strong". Luke said while flexing his very visible and defined muscles. Hikari sighed.

"Alright, carry me home please. I don't feel well anyways". She climbed up on Luke's back and he hooked his hands beneath her and she rested his head on his shoulder, the picnic basket was being toted on Hikari's shoulder, not forgotten.

"Alright, drink this slowly". Luke tilted the cup to Hikari's lips as she lay weakly in her blankets. She parted her lips and drank the warm bitter liquid as it trailed down her throat. When the last of the drink was gone, Luke took the china cup and set it into the sink. He had already phoned Pops explaining that he would be late getting home, or wouldn't be back till tomorrow. When Dale asked why he simply explained

"Hikari isn't feeling well and is running a fever. I didn't want to leave her alone, so I'm going to help her out till her fever breaks".

"In that case give Kari our best! Be sure to make her feel much better, after all she's your future wife"!

"Wait, Pops what did you say"!

"Nothing son, you'll figure it out on your own. See you soon, and remember wish Kari our love"! Then the other line had gone dead and Luke stood holding the receiver and blushing like mad. Now Hikari slept fitfully, and he was puzzled. He didn't think it was the food that made her sick, maybe she was just low on stamina and had developed a cold? Luke decided that was most likely, and rested a cool wet rag on Hikari's forehead. He hoped what his dad had said was true. The girl Luke wanted to marry was none other than Hikari Makuda. She was just extreme.


	5. Chapter 5

Hikari awoke to cool rag on her forehead and glanced around. Luke had pulled a kitchen chair beside her bed and was now sleeping in what looked like an extremely uncomfortable position. His mouth was hanging open and he was snoring slightly. Hikari beamed, it was very late at night and Luke had stayed to take care of her. Hikari beamed at the snoring boy. The cause of her sudden illness was fatigue from overworking. But it was nothing she couldn't get over herself, but it still sent butterflies whirling in her stomach.

Luke smelt something delicious and opened one heavy eye to take in his surroundings. Hikari had on an apron over her pink work outfit and was busying herself in the kitchen. Judging by the sent wafting up his nostrils, Hikari was making pancakes! Luke jumped up from his seat and then winced. Sleeping crookedly in the kitchen chair made his neck and shoulders stiff. He tried to roll his shoulders to get a satisfying crack from them, but to no avail.

"Oh, I see you're awake! Are you feeling soar"? Hikari asked her brown eyes showed concern.

"Yeah, kind of, your wicker furniture isn't the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on". Hikari shook her head and began to wipe her wooden spoon free of the pancake mix onto her apron. She then walked over to him and bopped him lightly on the head with her spoon.

"You should have gone home then, Luke! Your health is a prior concern to me".

"Your health is my concern as well"! He said back, Hikari sighed and then smiled brightly at him.

"Lean back and relax. I'll fix you right up". Luke did as he was told and Hikari pressed her fingers into the tightness of his muscles and began to knead them gently. Luke sighed as compressed tension was relieved from his aching shoulders. She then put her hands on either side of his head and bent gently. Five loud pops were heard, and Luke sighed in relief. A few more finger jabs into the tightness of his neck and Hikari finished.

"There, is that any better"? Luke began gingerly rubbing the now painless muscles in his shoulders and smiled.

"That was extreme! How'd you learn to do that"? He asked, amazed. Hikari shrugged.

"I just manipulate your muscles and bones till you feel better. It's easy as 1, 2, and 3. Now breakfast is done, I made you an extra large portion of pancakes so eat up and enjoy"! She picked up her wooden spoon and walked back over to the sizzling pan, switching off the stove and setting a hot heaping pile of pancakes on a plate.

"Come and get them while they're hot"!

After breakfast was over, Hikari packed her traveling knapsack and the two headed outside, on their own different ways. Hikari headed into town, to Sonata tailoring to be exact. She had set her sights on purchasing the red and yellow fire bandanna Luna had set on display the day before. With the money from shipping she had earned before falling ill, she was now able to pay for it.

Tying the bandanna securely around her head and patting it down to the point of perfect, Hikari smiled into the mirror and patted her bag. The second errand of the day was that she was to head to Garmon mines in search of a topaz.

Six hours later Hikari squinted at the yellow wonderful in her hands. She was standing on the thirty fifth floor of the Garmon mines and breathing heavily.

"I think, we found it Finn". Realization had dawned on the brunette, and in the future gems glittery reflection the girl's eyes were wide and sparkling. Her quest being complete, she had found a yellow wonderful. A good feeling was growing in her stomach that she had a topaz waiting to be refined. Topaz being a very well paying gem that would help her reach her goal. Fifty thousand dollars to upgrade her home.

Seventy dollars shorter, Hikari left the accessory shop cradling the valuable sparkling topaz in her hands. Her intuition was right; the sweaty, tiring hours she'd spent in the mines were not in vain. She smiled a wide, white toothy grin and sauntered her way over to the shipping bin.

"Hey, Kari"! An energetic voice rang out, distracting her from dropping the gem into the shipping bin. Now Hikari didn't realize what a toil those six hours took on her physical appearance. Her usually perfectly curled hair hung in limp tendrils by her face, her clothing was dusty and disheveled, and her normally rose colored cheeks were covered in a layer of soot and a pale pink at best. Her hands though, from wielding a heavy hammer were blistered and gashed. Overall Hikari did not look stunning and had failed to realize it till that moment.

Luke's cat shaped golden eyes blinked rapidly. He was bewildered at the fact she looked like such a mess. She turned to face him, smiling widely.

"Luke, I found one! I found a topaz"! She extended her hands showing off the sparkling gem and grinning.

"Did you… Go to the Garmon mines and get that yourself"? Luke asked, he was noticeably stuttering on how ripped apart his Hikari was.

"Yes, of course I did, Luke". Her tone of voice clearly sang 'Duh'.

"Why would you do that? You look terrible! You're all bruised and bloody"!

"It was entirely worth it".

"Not in your condition"! Luke couldn't explain it, he was so angry. What was the worst part was that he was angry at Hikari! She turned and opened the box, setting the topaz inside the box and clearing her throat, before facing him. She tilted her head and a limp curl fell in front of her face.

"What are you saying, Luke"? She was reluctant to hear his answer.

"I'm saying that you should've stayed home, at your ranch! Watering your plants or cooking or cleaning! Something womanly"!

A silence settled between the two. Hikari couldn't believe it, Luke… He was so out of character at that moment Hikari was stunned.

"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend"! Hikari then pushed past Luke and ran past the carpenters. He watched the red and yellow blur of the fire bandanna disappear.

"What have I done"? He wondered.

Hikari knocked against the door, her brown eyes sparkling with tears and her chest heaving from the long run to Harmonica town. The door opened and Wizard's face peeked through.

"Wizard, please help me". He nodded, opening the door further, her small figure squeezing through. Wizard took notice on how she was crying and walked beside her, steering her to a chair beside the desk. She wiped her eyes with the back of her injured hand. Her tears made stains through her dirty cheeks.

"What's…? Wrong Hikari"? Wizard asked.

"I had a fight, with Luke". She sniffled, Wizard nodded in an understanding way. In the time Wizard and Hikari had become close friends, Wizard had discovered that Hikari had begun to harbor romantic feelings for Luke, maybe that was why she was so hurt. After all Hikari and Luke were supposedly best friends, but after this Wizard wouldn't hold his breath.

"Why don't you… Explain to me what happened"? Hikari nodded, fumbling with her gashed hands.

"Let me… Bandage those first".

After explaining what had happened, and Wizard had cleaned and patched her hands, Wizard got up wordlessly and walked to his crystal ball, peering into it. After a moment Wizard then turned to Hikari.

"Go home, Hikari… Luke's there, waiting for you". Hikari stood up and walked to her friend, pecking his cheek lightly.

"Thank you, Wizard"… She then exited his home, leaving Wizard to himself touching the warmth on his cheek.

Hikari walked up to the doorstep and saw Luke sitting on the front of her doorstep with his head in his hands. His shoulders were shaking violently, cluing Hikari into the fact he was crying.

"Luke"…She said, Luke's head shot up and his bloodshot golden eyes widened.

"Hikari, you came back"! He leaped up from his sitting position and threw his arms around Hikari in an extremely overpowering bear hug.

"Of course I did, Luke. I live here, now let me go". Instantly he released her, the light fading from his eyes.

"Oh... Well, before I go, I want to apologize. It was terrible what I said to you, why I said that, I'm not going to lie to you and say I don't know, because I do. I was upset seeing you hurt and exhausted like that. It was like what happened to my mom all over again, Kari I can't go through that again, and especially to you. You mean so much to me Hikari. Can you please forgive me"? Luke bowed his head, but his eyes were still visible through his dark blue bangs.

"How can I not, with you looking at me with those puppy dog eyes"? His golden eyes were wide and pleading. His bottom lip was partially stuck out; tears were still visible in his eyes.

"Yes Luke, you're forgiven". Luke smiled wildly and his eyes brightened and he hugged her, gently his this time. Her small form cradled in his muscular arms.

Wizard looked painfully at the image of Luke and Hikari embracing.

"Hikari… You are to forgiving"… He murmured while banishing the painful image from his crystal ball. He didn't need to peer into their hearts to see that if his friendship with Hikari were to continue, it would be himself who would have his heart broken.


	6. Chapter 6

She hated how he looked at her like he was now, his head slightly cocked, his mouth a straight line and his studious and skeptical eyes unblinking. Hikari sighed and set down her cup of coffee. Maybe inviting Wizard and Luke over for lunch had been… A bad idea, but that was just a hunch. Luke sat across from Wizard, and beside Hikari inhaling the lunch she had prepared while Wizard looked revolted. Setting down her fork and hanging her head in defeat Hikari chewed her lip. This was not going according to plan.

An hour earlier she had been hard at work cooking the vegetable stir fry, talking to Finn and nodding to herself that inviting her two closest friends on the island whom she both had begun to care for in a way other then friendship was a perfectly okay idea, as long as she kept the conversation going and Luke behaved himself things should be alright. Hikari even went out of her way to bake Luke a spinach cake in hopes of persuasion to him behaving.

That cake which Luke was now literally inhaling. She pushed away her sponge like Yellow Square, and into his direction. He smiled; Hikari noticed the assorted green against the white of his teeth. Wizard cleared his throat.

"Luke… You have spinach… In your teeth". Wizard said quietly. Luke flushed red and took a large drink of water and then smiled brightly.

"There, is that better"? Hikari nodded his teeth white and clean once more. Wizard took a small bite of his spinach cake feeling awkward. He shouldn't have come here. He swallowed the dryness of his spinach cake in distaste, glancing over at Hikari's somewhat hurt expression. Her feelings over her cooking must be fragile…

"Hey Autumn's nearly over Kari, on winter eleventh is the starry night festival, I was wondering if you wanted". Suddenly the phone rang shrilly, causing Hikari to jump.

"Hold that thought, Luke please". Hikari said backing up her chair and rushing to the phone. Wizard breathed a breath of relaxation; the phone rang interrupting Luke's invitation for a date. He watched Hikari pick up the yellow plastic receiver twirl her finger on the white cord or the rotary phone.

"Hello"? She paused for a moment and squeaked happily. After a few moments of her going

"Uh huh, uh huh, mhm can do. Okay, I'll see you soon"! Hikari hung up the phone and grinned, she then began dialing a set of numbers after yet again picking up the receiver.

"Hello? Hey Jake its Hikari. Listen a few people are coming in tomorrow from the mainland and I'd like to reserve two rooms for them. Yeah, just list them under my name". She paused for a moment and sighed.

"Yes, I'll be paying upfront"… She then brought the receiver away from her ear and pinched the skin between her eyes. Her happy mood deflating when she realized why Yuuki had asked her to make reservations instead of himself, Akari or Takeru. How was she going to get a decent size house if her money kept burning a hole in her pocket? She wasn't, that's the answer to that question.

"Hikari are you… doing alright"? Wizard asked, breaking the silence. Even Luke had set down his fork and quit eating due to his best friend's unnatural silence. She sighed and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Yeah, I'm happy but frustrated… You see my brothers and sister are coming to the island tomorrow to see how I'm doing, but I had to book their rooms at the Ocarina Inn. The fee is four hundred a night. I'm barely scraping by as it is"… The last part she whispered more to herself more than admitting it to her friends.

"Why are you paying…? For your siblings visit"? Asked Wizard, he was intrigued by Hikari's confession. What did she mean, she was barely scraping by?

"Yuuki, Akari and Takeru all live in a boarding house that eats most of their money, besides it's only five days, and I'm the baby of the family but I got to move out and it's what family do for each other"… Wizard took note on how it seemed she was more trying to convince herself, more then him and Luke.

"What are you saving up for, Kari"? Luke asked while taking his empty plate and fork along with Hikari's discarded dishes. He had been to her house for meals enough times to wash his own dishes, and helping Hikari would maybe make her feel a little better.

Hikari sighed and pressed her forehead to her palm. Of course, Luke wanted to know how much she needed, how bad she wanted her house extended to level three.

"I want to get… a house extension big enough to raise a family"… She mumbled the last part so quietly Wizard had to strain his ears to catch even half of it. Luke cheerfully watched the dishes and smiled at her.

"Why didn't you say so, Kari? I've needed a new project; I'll do it for you, for free. What are best friends for? And don't even try to stop me with all the meal expenses I owe you, it'll be a payback". Hikari opened and closed her mouth like a fish, her face flushed red. Luke set the plate he was working on cleaning in the soap suds, and went over to Hikari, ruffling her hair.

"Besides kiddo, I think someone's going to want to be starting a family sometime soon"? Hikari turned even darker red.

"Luke, I'm not a kid! I'm nineteen"!

"And I'm twenty four, now I'll get started tomorrow afternoon, later Kari"! Luke pecked a kiss on her cheek and ran out the door. Leaving behind a soapy haired and confused Hikari and a silent as ever Wizard.

"So um Wizard, what should we do now"?

The next afternoon, while Luke began working on the house, after the crops had been tended to, and Clover had been brushed, fed, and assured of love, Wizard and Hikari had made their way to the dock to await Pascal and Hikari's siblings. When the ferry boat was in sight, Hikari began noticeably fidgety. She dusted off her skirt, primped her hair, and wet her lips.

"What are you..? Doing Hikari? You look…Nice"… Wizard said quietly, Hikari turned to him and flashed him a wide grin.

"Sorry, my fidgeting must be irritating… I apologize, I'm just nervous. My sister Akari can be… Judgmental is kind of the word for it". Wizard looked at her wearing a puzzled expression.

"You'll see, in just a moment"… Hikari whispered as the boat pulled up to the dock, and the walking plank was extended.

"Hikari, look Yuuki! It's our beloved baby sister and her lover"! A voice squealed from above. Wizard blushed at the word lover…

'Do we really look like…? We could be lovers'? He thought to himself, the tips of his ears warmed at the thought. But he distracted himself by the sight of the three people walking from the wooden plank, and onto the dock.

Hikari's sister, Akari he presumed was the first his eyes were automatically drawn to. She wore a big floppy sun hat, and pink heart shaped sunglasses perched at the tip of her nose. She wore a green shirt and blue shorts, along with work boots. She struck Wizard as the type, to not be the working kind of girl.

The shorter of Hikari's brothers, wore a simple white tee shirt, blue jeans, work boots, and a blue scarf. His hair cut was more shaggy then the rest. His aura suggested he was more the studious type but also very moody. Wizard decided that he was probably the most serious of the four siblings and the one who was often made fun of.

The last of Hikari's brothers, the tallest had already taken Hikari in what looked like a bone crushing hug and whirled her around. He was wearing a white tee-shirt with a triangle shaped necklace, and a red jacket with a blue hood over it, his attire was completed by a worn pair of blue jeans, and work boots. The trait that all four siblings shared was the cowlick, but the tallest boy seemed to have not one but two.

The boy finally set down Hikari, who appeared woozy. Wizard stabled her by carefully putting his arm on her shoulder.

"See, Takeru I told you they were lovers"! Akari squealed to the shaggy haired boy with the blue scarf.

'That must mean the tall one in the red jacket giving me the death glare must be her brother Yuuki'… Thought Wizard while surveying his surroundings.

"No, no, no Akari, Wizard and I aren't lovers, were just close friends! Now Wizard, this is my sister Akari, my brother Takeru, and my brother Yuuki". Hikari said while nervously introducing her friend to her siblings.

"We're just friends, Yuuki. Don't worry". Wizard also took note on how protective Yuuki was of Hikari.

"Alright, but I'm keeping an eye on him"… Yuuki clapped his hands loudly and smiled.

"Okay then! Kari, why don't you take us to the inn and then show us your ranch"! Hikari nodded and she and Yuuki darted ahead. Yammering on innocent topics, and catching up on the almost four months she had been away…

When the two were out of earshot distance Yuuki glanced at his young sister, and back at his fellow triplets and Hikari's quiet friend and leaned closer to her, as to whisper.

"Hikari, you do realize that there is a flying orange harvest sprite behind you, following you"? His voice was low and quiet, almost fearful.

"Of course I know his names Finn. He's been assigned a mission to help me restore life to this land, he's been a huge help to me, and we've restored the elements of water and fire to the land. Alls left is the land, the wind, and the heart of people".

"You know, if this came from anyone else but you, I would've assumed you were just crazy. But I can't say I'm surprised Hikari, with those eyes of yours". He ruffled her hair affectionately. Yuuki always knew his littlest sister was special, with her quirky behavior, and how even at her age of nineteen, and his and the others age of twenty four, even before moving away she still had a firm grasp on the believing of fairies, even though her brothers and sister had lost their sight…

Hikari glanced up at him, with her sparkling honey brown eyes and smiled.

"It is really good to see you, Yuuki, and Akari, and Takeru. I've missed you guys so much".

"We've missed you to, but it seems that you're doing really well on your own, I guess I should have had more faith in you, when you said you were leaving your home in the city to pursue a life in the country"…

After the Makuda triplets had checked in to Ocarina Inn, Wizard bid Hikari farewell for the day, claiming to have studies to do. She gave him a quick hug good bye and a quiet apology on how their time together was cut short and the Makuda siblings headed to Hikari's ranch.

"Wow, sis I'm impressed, this place is so rundown it's more pathetic then your old house". Scoffed Takeru while folding his arms over his chest. Hikari stuck her tongue out her older, jerk of a brother.

"Your right Takeru, this place is kind of a dump". Akari sighed shaking her head. Yuuki rested a comforting hand on his young sister's shoulders.

"I bought it like this! Besides, I've fixed it up quite a bit since I've moved in, and my best friend Luke is giving me a free upgrade"!

"You mean that handsome man over there is your best friend Luke who you were chattering about earlier"? Akari said, she pulled off her heart sunglasses and fluttered her eyelashes.

"Hikari, how old is your friend Luke"? Yuuki asked suddenly very protective.

"Luke's twenty four, like you guys"…

"Twenty four, Hikari he's five years older then you are"! Hikari shrugged.

"Hey, Kari your back, hang on a second I'll be down in a second"!

Luke climbed down from the roof from his ladder, untying his fire bandanna and wiping his forehead with it free of sweat. He had stripped his shirt around noon when the sun had begun to bake him. He walked over to Hikari and her older brothers and sister. Smiling like normal at each one of Hikari's siblings and warmly hugging his best friend he smiled.

"Ew, Luke you're all sweaty"! Hikari laughed, Luke kissed her cheek and ruffled her hair.

"Hikari told us that you guys were best friends, not romantically involved"… The tallest of her brothers said darkly.

"We are best friends; I just hug her and kiss her cheek". Luke blushed at the thought of being Hikari's boyfriend, bur she wouldn't be interested in him like that. He was a dusty ancient carpenter to her, and she… Well to him she was his own version of the Harvest Goddess, but he'd never tell…

"Luke, this is my brother Yuuki, my sister Akari, and my brother Takeru". Hikari said while introducing everyone, obviously trying to change the topic. Luke couldn't help but notice the redness of her cheeks and the tips of her ears. Or was that the trick of the fading autumn light?.?.?


	7. Chapter 7

Akari Makuda had grown up pampered and very spoiled. Refusing to wear nothing but the finest clothes, and drink the finest wines. She was neither as pretty, nor sensible as her younger sister, but she was more vocal and knew how to get what of the entire she wanted.

Akari eyed the photographs on her sister's wall murmuring as she scanned each one carefully. There was a portrait of herself and Hikari hugging one another. Even though Akari was in the front, your eyes were automatically drawn to Hikari and her innocent doe eyes. She grimaced and moved on to examine the much larger and more attractive photo, of the entire Makuda clan. (**Author's note; the Makuda clan being all Harvest moon character from previous games, such as island of happiness, Harvest moon cute, Rune Factory, Harvest moon magical melody etc) **further down the wall of photos were pictures of Hikari and Yuuki, Hikari and Takeru, Takeru and Akari, Yuuki and Takeru, and finally a picture of the four of them from childhood. Akari gave a small smile at that memory and chewed her lip.

_Akari rounded the hallway in a pink dress, she was currently adjusting the lace white ribbon in her hair. Her expression soured, today was the day of the family portrait, the day Akari had been looking forward to for weeks, but the day earlier, Akari had made the mistake of following her brothers up a tree while young Hikari sat on the ground below. Akari and her brothers were supposed to be watching her sister, but Hikari was four, and was able to take care of herself for the most part, right? _

_Wrong, Hikari had been playing with a delicate china doll, running her hand through its silken curls, when she suddenly got bored. Dropping the doll in disamusment _face down in the dirt, she stood up, abandoned her shoes and bonnet and disappeared into the forest to find entertainment elsewhere.

_In their desperate attempt to recover their lost sister, the Makuda triplets shimmied down the bark of the tree, ruining their nice clothes, and ensnaring Akari's long silken brown hair in tree snap. Forgetting their sister's shoes and play thing, they ran through the forest in search of Hikari. The farther they got into the woods, the more soiled each child became, with Yuuki in the lead; he was by far the worst. _

_Thunder clapped and Akari whimpered, securing her grasp on Yuuki's hand and Takeru's sleeve. _

"_Hikari, come on! Playtime's over, please come back"! Yuuki yelled he was by far the most worried and not about being punished but of his sister's life. Suddenly a small figure came barreling at the three, and both Akari and Takeru shrieked in fear, at that moment lightning struck sending a fearsomely vibrant flash, adding to the animosity and fear the three siblings shared. _

_Suddenly a slight tug was felt on Yuuki's jacket sleeve and he looked down. Hikari's vibrant eyes were staring up at him, her knee length light brown hair slightly damp from the falling rain. Yuuki noticed how her white dress was stained and she was without shoes._

"_Brother, why are you screaming"? She asked. Yuuki took off his jacket, bundling her so she wouldn't get sick and the swept her up in his arms and began carrying her. Akari and Takeru trailed behind, Hikari had her small chin rested on her brother's shoulder and watched her brother and sister walk behind her and Yuuki with wide eyes. _

_To Akari and Takeru, Hikari's young expression looked smug, when she was actually very concerned. Why wasn't brother carrying them, not her? She could walk just fine on her own… Later that evening Hikari laid in her massive bed, well it was massive to her tiny self. Her long light brown hair was clean, as was the rest of her and she was clothed in a warm night shirt once belonging to Akari when she was young. Hikari fiddled with the pink ribbon that was sewn onto the collar, it was smooth between her fingertips and very distracting. Suddenly her bedroom door opened and Hikari jumped, she was supposed to be asleep. Now she would get into trouble like Yuuki, Akari and Takeru did earlier when they had gotten home… Burrowing her face beneath the light pink covers, someone sat on her bed, and ruffled her brown hair._

"_Hey why are you hiding, Hikari? It's only me"… Hikari recognized the sound of her beloved brother's voice and scurried from the protection of the covers. His hair and clothes were wet, but he was smiling. _

"_Look, Kari what I found in the forest, what you left behind"! He brought his other arm from behind his back and smiled big, obviously impressed with himself. Hikari's wet and slightly muddied china doll was held out before her. Hikari's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates at the sight of her brother's devotion. At only eight years old, he was already so grown up…_

_What they didn't notice was the two pairs of matching brown eyes watching through the crack of the slightly opened door. Takeru and Akari, with her much shorter brown hair glared enviously at their brother's monumental display of affection towards their bratty little sister. Akari pushed aside her shorter, string bangs in distaste, and then hopelessly tried to smooth the spike of her hair which stuck out in all directions. Her hair having to be cut from its once flawless great length, to this shoulder length atrocity, all due to that terrible tree sap. Lesson being learned, never let uncle Raguna trim your hair, no matter how nice he could shear a sheep, humans were not sheep, and actually cared what their appearance looked like…_

"_It's not fair, everyone always favorites Hikari over us"! Hissed Akari, Takeru nodded. Yuuki stood up to bid Hikari nodded, and the two siblings harboring bitter feelings, ran down the hall to their bedrooms. Their feet making slight shuffling sounds on the blue carpet…_

_Now Akari stood eyeing her sister's silky tresses as Hikari played in the nursery, apologizing to her muddied doll that she was sorry she had left her behind, but the fairies had called her away. Akari rolled her eyes and clutched the metal scissors tighter in her hands, she entered the nearly empty nursery._

"_Hikari, mother says it's nearly time for our photo, but she wants me to help you with your hair". The child, foolishly believing her older sister carefully this time, rested her doll on the floor and sat patiently on a stool. Akari walked over, taking her long shining hair in her free hand, her eyes gleaming wickedly, and she opened the blade of the scissors…_

Akari remembered how much trouble she had gotten in that day, and how she tried to hide the evidence, the scissors and Hikari's discarded hair. Nonetheless, her efforts were in vain. The shorter hair cut actually managed to look even prettier on Hikari then it had long, and the sisters adapted to having short hair, eventually deciding it was simply easier to keep it that way.

"Akari, I know the photos aren't that interesting, I mean you've seen them all a dozen times. Come now, it's time for dinner". Hikari's voiced disrupted her nostalgia and she shook her head. Taking her seat beside Takeru, who in turn sat beside Yuuki, who sat beside Luke, Akari noticed there weren't enough chairs, since Luke had been invited to stay for dinner and fraternize amongst the Makuda siblings in hopes of gaining Yuuki's trust.

"Hikari, where are you going to sit"? Asked Yuuki, voicing his concern as usual. Akari fought her reflexes to roll her eyes as Hikari shrugged.

"I know! Hikari, you can sit on my lap"! Luke perked up cheerfully. Yuuki choked on air.

"She could what"? His protective instincts soon kicked in.

"Yuuki, Yuuki, calm down. I assure you, Luke meant nothing perverse by that, he was just offering a suggestion so we could all somewhat sit together".

"I bet so… You know what Luke; maybe if you went home there would be enough chairs for my sister". Yuuki said venomously, Luke's face fell like a sadden puppy. Hikari walked over and smacked Yuuki in the back of the head with her most fearsome weapon, her wooden spoon.

"Yuuki, don't speak to Luke like that"!

"Ouch, Kari that hurt"!

"Don't ouch Kari me, now I'm going to set out your plates and you guys are going to eat at the table, end of story. You are my guests, and you will dine comfortably"! Hikari snapped, Luke was slightly… Terrified would be the word for it, he had never seen Hikari angry and made a mental note not to upset her again.

Hikari passed out the plates of grilled herb fish and sighed, wiping her hands on her cooking apron. She really was going to have to give Chase a phone call one of these days, and beg and plead for him to give her a few new recipes. Cooking the same things over and over was dull, and Hikari hated dull…

Luke stood up with his plate, and then walked beside her. She gave him a puzzled expression, followed by flashing eyes.

"If you're going to eat standing up, so am I". He then took a bite of his supper and Hikari mimed his actions. Luke was too good for her…

After the final bite of the strawberry short cake had been taken, the Makuda siblings said their goodbyes and Yuuki, Akari and Takeru made their departure. Hikari and Luke began their usual tag team work as a washer and drier, and Hikari peeked out of the window of her home. Dark clouds were rolling in, signaling that the weather forecast for a out of season typhoon was not at all hullabaloo. Setting the last of the plates in the cabinet, Luke took note of the way Hikari was staring at him.

"What is it, Hikari"? He was slightly worried; Hikari had never given him this expression before.

"Something is missing about you"… She snapped his fingers loudly, causing Luke to jump.

"Your fire bandana, it's missing"! Luke touched the top of his head, realizing that in fact, his beloved fire bandanna was missing.

"I must've left it outside, when I was working on your house earlier". He said, taking a step towards the door. Suddenly Hikari's body was pressed against his own, and the door. Luke's face burned red at how close he was to her. She looked up at him defiantly.

"You are my guest, not to mention the one who's fixing my house. I'll get it".

"But, Hikari the storm"… Luke stammered her eyes silenced him; she turned to the door, and opened it, ducking outside. Thunder boomed loudly, and rain began falling loudly. Hikari ducked out from the safety of her overhead porch and into the storm.

Squinting into storm Hikari looked around for the white flaming bandana. Already her clothes were soaking wet and she was drenched. While scanning the property, she thanked God that the roof and door was strong on the barn. Suddenly, she noticed a bright set of unnatural coloring on the branch of one of her cherry trees that was to be dormant for the season. Smiling, thrilled to herself she took off to the tree, being beaten by painful drops of rain in the process. She made it to the tree, grabbing the bandanna and clutching it tightly so the wind wouldn't sweep it away Hikari jumped for joy. Then realized something, the power had gone out in her home, and the only source of light was in the barn. Understanding it was her best decision, she shot out into the dark, heading for the barn. Suddenly a hand clamped down on her wrist, Hikari shrieked and began struggling against her attacker.

"Hikari, it's me"! Luke shouted over the roar of the storm. Hikari quit struggling, and he could feel her glare on him.

"I told you to stay indoors, it's too dangerous"!

"It's too dangerous for you as well! At least if I'm out here, we can die together". Despite being so cold, Luke and Hikari's cheeks warmed.

"Alright, let's go our best bet is the barn for shelter"! Luke nodded even though Hikari couldn't see, and the two ran for the barn. Hikari threw up the barn doors and ushered Luke inside, she then followed. The two proceeded to yank shut the doors, and then stared bewildered at one another. Clover mooed, and continued to chew her cud, not seeming to care about the storm nor the two's arrival. The two exchanged wide eyed looks and did the only rational things they could do, they began laughing.

"That was… EXTREME"! They shouted together, fist pumping. Luke smiled and looked down at Hikari. In the dimness of the lamplight hanging overhead from the ceiling, Hikari looked ravishing. With her soaking wet hair and clothes, clinging to her face and body, how she was breathing heavily, and how she held out her hands, offering to him his beloved bandana, which he took and tied securely to his head. He realized Hikari was his own harvest goddess, both beautiful inside and out…

She was talking on how they should sit on the hay, it was warm and dry and it didn't stink. Luke only caught half of what she was saying; he was so transfixed on the way her lips moved when she spoke.

"Luke, are you even listening to me"? She was waving her gloved hand in front of his face. He then took her by the hand, and pulled her into his chest.

"L-L-Luke, what are you d-doing"? She stammered, he released her slightly, and cupped her chin with his forefingers, guiding her eyes to his.

"Will I burn…? If I kiss you"? He asked her, and then pressed his mouth to hers, in a gentle, chaste kiss. Hikari's eyes widened in surprise, and then slowly closed. She wrapped her arms around his neck. When the separated, Luke smiled, and so did Hikari.

"That was even more extreme, than the storm was"! Hikari nodded, wordlessly. Luke nodded loudly and looked at the pile of hay.

"Let's hit the hay, I'm beat". Hikari nodded and they made their way together, holding hands. Their love was nothing more than an innocent blossom, waiting for its turn to bloom. As Hikari laid her head on Luke's chest, his arm on her back for more comfort and warmth, Luke's breathing became more shallow and quiet.

"Luke"? Hikari murmured quietly, she had to get this in before he fell asleep.

"What is it..."? He asked, his eyes were so heavy.

"That pun, was terrible". She said smiling at his bad joke.

"I know it was"… Luke said dreamily, and then his breathing slowed and slight snores filled the barn. Clover mooed in protest, but Hikari thought it meant something else.

"Yeah… Goodnight to you to, Clover"… And Hikari shifted her position a little more, and shut her eyes.

Wizard looked at the serene moment of Luke and Hikari sleeping. They were doing nothing more but sleeping in the comfort of one another's arms, but to him it felt like an ultimate betrayal. He turned away from the crystal ball, and looked at his bookshelf. He then advanced to it, and removed the leather bounded book of spells and flipped to the precise page. Laying the book on the table, he went to get a piece of parchment and a quill; he then in his signature form of manuscript began writing down the ingredients. When he finished he looked over the list, nodding. He didn't like what he was doing, but it had to be done. He couldn't bear to be left alone again; he couldn't bear to suffer the anguish of the emptiness of his soul, without Hikari that would befall him yet again. Running his finger down the aged paper he sighed. The next day when the storm cleared up, he would begin his search…

**To make a Love potion**

**A sakura seashell**

**A sparkling white pearl**

**Shining Yogurt**

**The blood of a pure maiden**

**And white satin**

Wizard knew it would take quite a while to scavenge all the ingredients, not to mention to even make the potion. But Hikari and her love was worth it, with Hikari by his side… Wizard would never again drown in the dark waters of loneliness and despair…


	8. Chapter 8

"Please"?

"No".

"Please Chase, I'm begging you"!

"Absolutely not, end of story. Now quit following me"! The young girl sighed, and glared at the back of the man's head. This wasn't fair; all she'd asked him was to mentor him in cooking. Pressing her forehead into her palm Hikari took a deep breath to steady her temper. Hikari was not an angry person, but now as Chase stood over her, with his scowl, his narrowed purple eyes , and those ridicules hair pins, Hikari felt as if she were about to lose it!

"And why not, I need to be able to know how to cook more than Makuda style grilled herb fish"! Hikari grouched while digging the toe of her left boot into the pavement.

"Wait just a moment; you know the Makuda family recipe"? Hikari counted back from ten to keep her patience.

"Yes, Chase my name is Hikari Makuda, you just realized that"? Chase brushed off her sarcasm at that moment and stared at her intently.

"Hikari, if you give me that recipe, I promise I'll teach you everything I know about the culinary arts"…

So that's how she got here, she was making Luke's lunch of squid ink spaghetti when deciding to whip up a plate for Wizard out of the kindness of her heart. After delivering Luke his lunch, and receiving a kiss on the cheek, she set off to Harmonica town to bring Wizard his own. She had even tied a magenta bow to the handle of his personal lunch pail she was giving to him.

After knocking on the door three times, there was no response. That struck Hikari… Odd, because Wizard never left his house during the day. Though she also knew, he never locked his door… She shrugged, and walked inside, his house was completely empty, but on the table beside his crystal ball was a vial, holding a light pink liquid. Hikari set Wizard's lunch pail on his desk and went to investigate.

Her name was written in Wizard's old style handwriting on a label, and beneath that were three words

"Hikari

Please drink this"

She thought it was some kind of bodigizer, to improve her strength or fatigue, so she uncorked the lid and took a drink. It tasted sweet, and bitter at the same time. Her head felt foggy, and her tongue heavy.

"L-L-Luke"… She stammered before falling to her side, asleep. Wizard then emerged from his hiding place on the loft and sighed. The potion had taken a great deal of effort to concoct, but now as she slept on his floor, and his lips touched hers, making her his, it would all be worth it. Suddenly there was a loud knocking on the door, and Wizard hid himself.

Yuuki peered through the window as his sister drank the strange pink fluid, and fell onto the floor. He rattled the door to open it, but to no avail. Grabbing the knob and ramming into it with his shoulder using all his might, the door opened. He realized it was never locked in the first place…. But at that moment, his stupidity didn't matter. Taking his sister in his arms, Yuuki tried to shake her awake, but Hikari's eyes stayed closed.

"It won't work… Hikari can only… Be awoken by the kiss… Of her beloved"… Wizard stood ashamed at the top of his stairs, and the young man shot daggers at him with his eyes. Wizard watched how Yuuki held his sister protectively.

"How dare you"! Yuuki snarled, Wizard turned away, ashamed at what he'd done.

"Call… Forth… The carpenter"…

"And that my dear Hikari is why you should never bring squid ink spaghetti to Wizard". Luke finished while resting his arm on Hikari's shoulder. She laughed loudly.

"Please Lucas, I know Wizard hates squid ink spaghetti, I just make it for you. Then you go and make up some wild story about a love potion? And I could only be awakened by a kiss from my beloved? Call forth the carpenter? Lucas Anthony Castellano, you've got quite an imagination you know"? Luke stared at her dumbfounded.

"What… What is it"? Hikari asked the look he was giving her, made her spine tingle and her nerves become unsettled.

"You didn't call me dumb… You didn't ask if I was hit on the head by something, you gave me a compliment"… He sounded genuinely stunned.

"Why would I call you ignorant? You aren't my dear Luke, you're extremely intelligent, and that story seemed like it could actually happen. I mean except for the part where Wizard gave me a love potion and had romantic feelings for me".

"Ah my dearest Hikari, you are kind of blind, don't you think"? Luke asked while ruffling her hair.

"Huh, what do you mean"? Luke stood the two of them up from their sitting position beneath a tree and kissed her full on the mouth. Leaving her dazed and red in the face as he grinned cheekily.

"I'll be back; I have something really important to do"! Luke said, and then dashed off to the towards the town, not letting Hikari get a word in. She shook her head and entered the barn. Her new light brown foul, Shizuo whinnied loudly at her entrance and she walked to his pen, to stand beside him.

"He's a strange one, Luke is… But I think, Shizuo that I love him… I really do"…

Wizard shook his head and glared at the flask on his shelf. The potion he had brewed up seemed useless now, and he gripped it within his hand tightly, and walked to his nearest window, throwing it till her heard a satisfactory shatter of glass. That Luke boy wasn't as dumb as everyone thought, and he made Hikari happy, and her happiness was his happiness. Luke then ran by, looking up at the window, and nodding to Wizard with a small smile on his face, as if knowing what he'd done.

Now Luke's pace slowed as he entered the church ground and looked towards the stairs that led to the cliff. It was cold out, and he missed Hikari's warmth beside his own, but he urged himself down the stairs and through the arched gate of the graveyard. In here it was much colder. Luke guided himself to her grave, which was always ornamented with flowers from his father.

'Eden Castellano, loving wife, mother, and one hell of a carpenter"… He smiled every time he'd read that, like he was now.

"I think I found her mom, I think I found the woman I want to spend my life with. She's a lot like you, caring, beautiful, and she can hold her own. But there's one difference… She hates to bake spinach cake"… His voice then broke at that part and he rested his forehead against the stone of her grave. His tears fell from his face and splashed against the frosted ground, and suddenly he was ten years old again, in his mother's part of the workshop. Where it smelled like sawdust and tulips year round.

"_Lucas Anthony, come here this instant"! Luke's smile faltered and his stomach sunk to his toes. _

"_Oh man, how'd she find out"? Luke dragged himself from his comfortable perch on his mother's stool and trudged into the kitchen where she stood tapping her foot. She held out her arm to him, firmly grasping a white test paper, with black doodles of dinosaurs and blueprints and other boyish drawings were done. But the answer blanks were empty and a large red letter F was circled at the top of the page. Luke glanced around and saw a smirking Chase looking quite pleased with himself. He must have stayed after class, after Luke had buried the failed test in the waste basket. Luke slapped himself on the forehead and groaned as his mother began to lecture him about the importance of school. _

_Another memory, Luke was about eight years old, and had his arms folded over his chest and appeared to be pouting. His dark blue hair brushed against the top of his hips and he glared ahead. He and his mother and father had traveled to the mainland on some sort of vacation, and Luke had been mistakenly been called a girl. At his age, girls were sissies and had cooties, Luke Castellano did not have cooties, and he just liked having long wild hair. So his mother paused while looking at an expensive tailoring shop, and back at her husband. Fishing out money from her coin purse, she handed a small sum to Luke. _

"_Here, honeys go buy yourself something that says you're clearly a boy. Sulking about like that will just spoil the rest of the trip". The boy nodded, and headed inside, it was cool and the bell chimed softly as he ventured into the clothing shop. Then he saw it, the white flaming bandanna, his eyes widened, it was like his moms, but only boyish! He quickly made it known by bouncing about and disturbing other customers that he clearly was ready to make his purchase, after paying and insisting he didn't want a bag, Luke sauntered out of there proudly wearing his flaming bandanna that clearly said, he was a boy and did not have cooties. _

Luke ran his calloused thumb over the E in her name and sighed.

"I miss you mom, I really do"… He then made his way over to Cindy's, Bo's mother's grave. She hadn't had a carpenter accident like his mom had; she had just gotten gravely ill. Luke said his prayers and best wishes to Cindy, and then crawled back to his mother. Just like that the memory was clear as day for him.

_Luke was thirteen years old and helping his mom and Pops build a new house for a new resident. He was sitting on the grass, taking a break as he watched his parents work on the roof. Eden and Luke were cracking jokes back and forth, while Dale chuckled here and then. Eden then made a huge mistake to take testing her superb carpentry skills to the max. She stood up, and sauntered over to the patch she had been working on to test if it would hold her weight. Pops and Luke had both urged her not to do so, but she as stubborn as she was, refused to listen. _

"_See, it's holding up beautiful-"and at that exact moment, the roof decided to cave in, taking his mother with him. Her shriek echoed for miles as Luke and his father were permanently scarred for life._

Hikari had gotten him over his fears of the house, and he had even fixed it up for her. She made him feel fearless, she made him feel smart, she made him feel invincible, but most of all she made him feel proud of his accomplishments on what he'd done in life, like he wasn't some big failure like everyone made him out to be. He loved her for that, and another endless list of reasons.

"I may have built her a house mom, but she's built me a home".


	9. Chapter 9

"Luke, where are you taking me"? Hikari asked, her voice dulled by the fall cold she had been inhabited by.

"Kari, I can't tell you or it'll ruin the surprise, but you really should've worn a scarf, your cold isn't going to get any better". Luke teased back, Hikari then made some sort of fussy whimper. He had discovered that when she was sick, Hikari Rue Makuda was a grouch. She had caught this cold, three days prior to that moment, when waving goodbye to her siblings, promising to visit the mainland as soon as possible for a visit. Yuuki seemed reluctant to leave the island, claiming to have developed an attachment to its scenery and solitude, but Luke would put any money on the fact he still didn't trust Luke with his baby sister, while Akari and Takeru seemed more than willing, to get off the island at any cost.

Now as Luke lead a stuffy Hikari through the labyrinth of Garmon mines, beaming at his plans, and Hikari's grumpiness, which he found adorable. He began to pick up the pace, for if everything was to go as he'd planned, they'd arrive at the top of the mountain as soon as the moon came out.

"Alright, are you ready"? Luke asked his hands still over her eyes.

"Of course I'm ready, what is it"? In a slow and antagonizing fashion, Luke slid his hands from her eyes, and she gasped. They were standing atop of the Garmon Mountain, chilly air blew making Hikari shiver slightly, but it also blew the clouds below rapidly, the moon was a big white glowing orb that shone down perfectly. Hikari's heart swelled and she turned to Luke, and gasped it yet again. Luke stood there, his arms held out and his hands cupped a single sapphire blue feather, a genuine blue feather.

"Hikari, you're my best friend, and I hope I'm yours, when I met you, I was just amazed, you were spunky but afraid of the dark, kind but fierce with a wooden spoon, and you're a beautiful, medical genius. You're my Harvest Goddess, and I want to know… Will you Hikari Rue Makuda, do me the astounding honor of becoming my wife"?

Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and her face against his neck. The feeling of her cold nose pressing into the warmth of his flesh gave him goose bumps.

"Hikari, did I upset you"? He wondered, his heart already sagging. She was probably in love with her friend Gill, or even Wizard. Hell, he'd probably lost her to Chase and they'd get married and their babies would be able to cook. He barely noticed the feeling of her hair against his cheek as she shook her head no, she whispered to him

"Luke, this is the best day of my life, how could I say no to the man I love? Let's get married, as soon as possible, it'll be extreme"! In his lifetime, Luke could count on one hand how many times he had cried, and they were all from his mother's passing. He grinned as he thought

'I'm going to have to use to hands now'… He began crying, tears of joy and embraced Hikari's small form against the muscle of his chest. They stood there for period of time, wrapped up in one another's sweet nothings, the air was cold, but they shivered with giddiness.

"Kari, can we name our kids something other than Lunar and Zero"? Luke asked he then heard the sound of Hikari laughing.

"Of course we can Luke, Lunar makes me think of Luna in town, and Zero is a number that isn't so great. So how about we name our son Luke Junior"?"

"As much as I'd like that, why don't we name him Axel"?

"I like that to, and our daughters name should be…" Hikari paused for a moment, and then her eyes lit up.

"Let's name our daughter Celty"! She clapped and Luke smiled at her.

"It's a perfect name for our perfect daughter".

"That doesn't exist yet"…

That night the two practiced sleeping in the same bed at Hikari's farmhouse, where Luke would soon join her. He watched as she shivered beneath the blue sheets of their double bed. Luke rested his toasty warm arm across the small of her stomach and she sighed. Suddenly Luke jumped; Hikari's icy toes were pressed against his long tan leg.

"Jeez Kari, your freezing"!

"Mhm, totally"… She yawned sleepily. She had nested herself against Luke's chest, with his arm still strung across her, and her little head tucked into the hollow of his collar bone. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"So you're a snuggling type? So am I". Luke then sandwiched his fiancé in his arms and sighed. Taking a breath of her sweet hay and orange vanilla scented hair and pillow Luke allowed himself to close his eyes. He was reluctant though, this was all too good to be true, and he couldn't take the pain of waking up in the morning in his bed knowing that his sweet Hikari, Axel, and Celty did not and would not ever exist. Though he pushed that thought away, he was in bliss, and it was that simple.


	10. Chapter 10

Luke exhaled nervously. Here he stood, in the center of the church, full of the people who obviously mattered most to him, well all except one, but she'd be arriving soon. He looked at the occupants of the pews and gleamed. Pops winked at him, while Bo appeared to shed a tear. Luke's expression turned somber, he a grown man of twenty four was nearly reduced to tears of joy at the very thought of marrying the nineteen year old love of his life. He turned to the pews holding the bride's family and friends. Takeru and Akari sat, looking sour, and then a mass of Makuda's remaining members of the clan, and finally sitting alone in the back corner was the Wizard. Luke nodded to him, and the Wizard nodded back. Their eyes both glistened with tears for the same girl, but different reasons.

The church doors opened, and bright morning light shone through, and Hikari's silhouette emerged, her brother on her arm in the act of their late father. They entered the church together, and Luke's mouth fell to the floor. She walked, her face shadowed by the lace of the white veil, her gloved hand clutching a bouquet of red roses, and the other linked through Yuuki's arm. Luke extended his hand to her, symbolizing him leading her away from her single past, to their future together.

"Take care of my sister, Castellano". Yuuki said to him.

"Wouldn't dream of treating her like anything else like the queen she is". From beneath her veil Hikari blushed and made the final step onto the alter.

"Do you, Hikari Makuda take Luke Castellano to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till deaths do you part"?

"I do".

"And do you Luke, take Hikari Makuda to have and to hold in sickness and in health till death do you part"?

"I do". Those two simple words rolled off his tongue without any hesitation and Wizard felt his world collapse. Hamilton declared that Luke could kiss the bride, and claimed the two as husband and wife, Luke did just that and Wizard knew he'd lost Hikari for good.

_Break_

When their first daughter Celty was born Hikari and Luke's worlds were turned upside down. The two had experienced a new form of love they'd never thought as existing. When Hikari had been pregnant with Celty, Luke had taken care of the crops while Hikari did the light work of feeding and caring for the animals. They didn't want to endanger their young child within her stomach. One particular morning Hikari had been carrying a bowl of milk, she had decided to make a new cheese pie dish she had read about and was bumbling in the kitchen, when she was overcome with a pain that made her drop the bowel, shattering it into many blue fragments across the kitchen floor. Their daughter had decided it was time to be born.

Celty came into the world angry and stayed like that till she was out of Doctor Jin's arms and into her mothers.

"Look at those pretty brown eyes and that blue hair. You're a real beauty Celty, daddies sure proud". Luke whispered over his wife's shoulder and to the baby girl in her arms who was blinking her wide brown eyes at her parents.

"She's going to be a real heartbreaker, isn't she Luke"? Hikari murmured her voice was soft and warm.

"That she is my dear wife. But those boys won't lay a finger on her, so long as I've got my axe".

After bringing Celty home Hikari stayed with her constantly the next few days. Craig from Marimba farm came over with his wife Ruth and helped keep the farm's agriculture in perfection, also giving a few parental tips. Celty would gargle angered when Hikari would make any indication of setting her down that is until Wizard came.

After the wedding Wizard had severed communication with anyone for a period of time, which is until Hikari flew open his door, tears pouring down her face and her sobbing horrendously on why he hadn't spoken to her in so long. His response was

"My heart…Is to…Fragile"… Though she came back every day, crying till Wizard spoke to her like he used to. When he heard the news Hikari had finally birthed her daughter, he waited a week before inviting her and the infant over for a lunch. Luke had decided on going to Fugue forest that day, so she packed him a lunch and set off for Wizards.

"May… I hold…Your baby"?

"Of course Wizard, her name is Celty". Hikari gently set the cooing bundle of vanilla smelling fabric in the cradle of his arms and he looked down at her.

It felt as if the fabrics of his time were slowly starting to life again, and suddenly it wasn't eternal stillness, but it had always been moving but he hadn't realized it until he looked into the daughter Celty's eyes. They were just like her mothers, but slight golden flecks danced throughout her iris. She peered up at him, through long sapphire bangs she'd inherited from her father and did something strange. Celty smiled a huge, pink gummed smile that made Wizard's knees tremble.

"Wizard, are you alright? Do you need me to take her?" Hikari asked, her maternal instincts clicked in at the thought of her friend dropping her newborn.

"Yes I'm fine… Hikari, when your daughter is older, may I give her… Lessons in magic"?

_Ten years later_

"Come on Axel, you're going to be late"! Celty Makuda was holding hands with her seven year old brother dragging to him to his first day at school.

"It's not fair Celty! You get to go to school with Wizard because you're good at magic"!

"I'm not just learning magic; I'm learning Alchemy and Astronomy".

The siblings were halted for a moment as a firm calloused hand was set on their shoulders. They glanced up to see the handsome grin of their father.

Axel was a mirror image of his father, both physically and personality wise. Axel was loud, rambunctious, excited and always smiling. His sister was quiet and a dreamer. She read anything she could get her hands on, that was probably because she had spent her childhood free time in the comforts of the immortal wizard's small library. She was so smart that instead of enrolling her in the islands school, her mother Hikari walked herself to Wizard's and asked him if it would be any trouble if he teach her daughter studies besides magic because otherwise she'll be teaching the class instead of the teacher. Wizard took her in with open arms. Celty idolized Wizard more then she'd like to admit, he was not quite a father figure to her, but something much more. He'd always been, since she could remember.

After waving goodbye to her brother, her father scooped her up in his muscular arms. Despite being ten, Celty was thin and small, though she was extremely beautiful for her age; she was mistaken as a young adult by newcomers and tourists. With her vast vocabulary and maturity, it was difficult not to. Though Celty still had her childish moments, like the one she was having now as she sat on her father's broad shoulders and he carried her to Wizard's house for her daily lesson. She fumbled with the knot of his flame bandanna and grinned as his hair felt out. Celty was fascinated by her father's hair, it was a sapphire blue, much like her own, but his fell to his elbows when he took it from its holder. Her own hair only reached her mid back, though she often wore it braided, much like her tutors.

Admiration was clear in his emeralds and hazel eyes as he watched his young student sort out a series of alchemidic theories.

"Imagine, Wizard, that if I could figure this out, I could be the best doctor on the island, even the mainland"! Celty had inherited her mother's wise ways of medicine, and combining it with magic and the alchemy theory he had produced, she very well could be the best doctor to ever have existed. When he watched her, he saw her mother, but he also saw her. The budding young medical genius, who loved him in a way people her age even with her level of brilliance, could not figure out. She was simply Celty; the daughter of what he thought was the love of his never ending life. He loved her for that, not being Hikari's daughter, but for being Celty and that was worth being immortal and endless. At least he'd get to see her grow up…

"Wizard, hello are you listening"? She waved her small hand in front of his face after getting up from her studies.

"Of course… I am… Now back to your theories, I know you're on to something"… She nodded, returning to her wooden chair at the table and her eyes begin to trace the lines penned in fading ink.

"And…Celty"? He asked hesitantly.

"What is it, Wizard"? Her eyes, not Hikari's blinked, her eyelashes were thick frames against them.

"Call me… Gale from… Now on"…

They sat together in the forest, she in her thirties, and he in his forties, but their love was still the same.

"Do you think that they'll be alright Luke"? Hikari asked while stroking the side of his hand with her finger.

"Hikari, they're our kids, they'll be the best at everything". Luke smiled; he was still the young man that knocked her into the grass so many years ago that she'd fallen in love with. She slowly pressed her lips to his, and her mouth formed a smile to match his.

_I've built you a house my love, but you have built me a home._

THE END!

AN; Well it's over… It's safe to say I'm quite proud of this story and how it ended. Watch for the sequel I'm thinking about writing about Celty and Wizard with some HikarixXLuke fluff in there. Not positive I'm going to write it, and if I do it's going to be an oneshot. I want to apologize for my super late updates and sloppy work this past since… August 27, I moved into an apartment and can't afford internet or T.V. and I have to use my blackberry or other people's internet so yeah it's kind of difficult. But my neighbors are extremely nice! But anyways, as soon as the rent stops being as expensive as it is and I can afford internet things will be uploaded the instant they are done being advised. So yes! Enjoy your day and remember, you're not on fire or trapped in an elevator so life's not that bad. And if you are, well you are an extremely dedicated fan and I'm proud that in your situation you very well might be reading my story. So thanks for reading Build Me a House, I'll Build You a Home and have a goodnight, evening, morning etc, and I'm going to have some sweet Kool-Aid.

-Jetholiday16


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